variola

[vuh-rahy-uh-luh]

noun

Pathology.

1. smallpox.

variola

/ vəˈraɪələ /

noun

1. the technical name for smallpox

variola

1. See smallpox

Other Word Forms

• variolar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of variola¹

1795–1805; < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin vari ( us ) speckled ( various ) + -ola -ole ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of variola¹

C18: from Medieval Latin: disease marked by little spots, from Latin varius spotted

Example Sentences

And variola’s genome is so large that it is exceedingly difficult for even experts to assemble.

Read more on Science Magazine

How the loss of genes would have made variola more virulent is not exactly clear, however.

Read more on Science Magazine

Monkeypox is a poxvirus in the same family as variola – the virus that causes smallpox – and cowpox viruses and likely evolved in animals before jumping to humans.

Read more on Scientific American

The variola virus, which causes smallpox, is the only disease to have been eradicated by human medicine.

Read more on Salon

The C.D.C.’s campus in Atlanta is home to one of two Level 4 labs left in the world that harbors the live variola virus, which causes smallpox and was declared eradicated globally in 1980.

Read more on New York Times